In They say I say chapter 8 to 10, the author taught us the simple yet complicated basics when writing an essay. The section is split into three parts, the first part told us how important it is to connect parts in our essay. Maybe we are used to connecting sentences and parts and may do it unconsciously, the author still provided some useful transition words to help us. The author also mentioned how it is important to repeat your statement/main idea. It reinforces our main ideas and make them obvious to the readers. In the second part, the author mentioned that we are not obligated to use academic writings for our work entirely. Readers actually feel more comfortable when the text is easier to follow. So we should use some colloquial language from time to time but in a reasonable amount. In the third part, the author says that we should always explain ourselves and our ideas and guide the readers through the text. Our choice of words may invoke a reader’s strong feelings even though we don’t intend to. So we always have to explain ourselves to prevent misunderstandings. In this part, the author gave us many templates to use for a smooth connection between sentences for metacommentary.
Mission Accomplished?
In this essay, the author talked about how female soldiers are sexually assaulted by they male soldiers in the army. It is hard to believe that while female soldiers are fighting to save their country, they still have to go through the traumas of being sexually assaulted. The author thinks that the VA is not taking enough actions to protect these women and the ones that have been traumatized by the war.
I think the author made a very good point about how veterans are hurt by the war and the VA should do more about it. Although i agree with the author’s point, i think the essay was a bit biased. The author talked a lot about how the soldiers are suffering from PTSD or women are hurt from sexual assaults and how VA is doing nothing. But there was not a lot of information about what the VA actually did. I think the author did not give a very fair view for the VA.
source 10
“Using the Clean Air Act to Sharply Reduce Carbon Pollution from Existing Power Plants.” NRDC:. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.
This is another source that i found on the NRDC website. In this source, the NRDC had “crafted a groundbreaking proposal”. The proposal is urging the EPA which stands for Environmental Protection Agency, to take actions.
According to the source, it’s clearly shown that the NRDC has done their homework. They already have the whole action planned out and have done very detailed calculations. The goal of the proposal is to reduce carbon pollution using the clean air act. They have estimated that “the plan would cut CO2 pollution from America’s power plants by 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 and 34 percent by 2025. The price tag: about $4 billion in 2020. But the benefits — in saved lives, reduced illnesses, and climate change avoided — would be $26 to 60 billion, 6 to 15 times greater than the costs.”
Source 9
“Extreme Weather Map 2012.” Natural Resources Defense Council – The Earth’s Best Defense. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.
I found this source on the natural resources defense council. This organization “is the nation’s most effective environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of 1.4 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of more than 350 lawyers, scientists and other professionals.”
The information i found on the website is mostly statistical. It combined Last year’s data of U.S.A’s extreme weather events and climate changes and made it into a map to give us a better image about how has the climate changed ever since global warming. Aside from the statistical information, NRDC also talked about solutions to avoid the worst effects from weather changes and so on.
Rogerian Rhetoric
The author of text is obviously very fond of the use of Rhetoric. According to his point of view, he believes that the Rogerian rhetoric is better than any other approach because “it has the potential to offer students an opportunity for long-term cognitive and ethical growth.” In the text, the author mentioned that the main point or strategy of Rogerian rhetoric is to understand the opponent’s position well and detailed.
When we describe the opponent’s position/point of view, we must put ourselves into his/her shoes and state the positive side of their position. While we consider the issue from the opponent’s point of view, we must not lose our own ideas or arguments but rather use our argument to convince the audience the benefit to be on our side.
Topic proposal
In recent discussions of Global Warming, a controversial issue has been whether we should fight global warming and are we responsible for it. On the one hand, some argue that it’s a natural cause and we should not do anything. On the other hand, however, others argue that we are responsible for it and we should take actions. In sum, then, the issue is whether we should fight global warming and take responsibility or let it be.
My own view is that we should take responsibility.Though i concede that a part of the cause for global warming may have been natural causes, i still maintain that we are majorly responsible for it so we should take action. Although some might object that nothing would change because the globe is too big, i would reply that we can still do our best to try. This issue is important because that it is related globally and every single human being is involved. We are fighting because we want to create, protect and save the world and environment we live in.
source 8
Davenport, Coral. “Obama’s Stealth Climate Army.” National Journal (2013).Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
This article talks about how president Obama is starting to take actions to fight global warming. He has some support and some opposition. But he is still going for it.
Even the president is taking actions to fight global warming, the people should be encouraged to do the same.
source 7
“Public opinion on the causes of global warming, March 2007.” The Environment: A Revolution in Attitudes. Kim Masters Evans. 2008 ed. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Information Plus Reference Series. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
This is a statistic graph about people’s opinion on global warming. 35% of people think that global warming are natural causes, while 65% of people think that it’s cause by human. The last 5 % does not have any opinion.
The good thing is that majority of people has realized that global warming is serious and we are the who caused it. People are starting to face the truth rather than avoiding it.
source 6
“New analysis confirms the danger of climate change.” Washington Post 9 Oct. 2013.Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
This article suggests that humans are the ones that are responsible for Global Warming. There are a lot of evidence to prove that. During the time humans have released large amounts of green house gases, the climate has changed rapidly (in a bad way) since the mid-20 centuries.
Humans are responsible for the cause and the long term risk are too high and dangerous. Climate change is going to take decades to see the harmful effect. We still have time to fix it.
source 5
Spotts, Pete. “Why has global warming paused? Pacific Ocean’s ‘engine room’ running cool.” Christian Science Monitor 28 Aug. 2013: N.PAG. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
This text stated that Global warming has slowed down in the past 15 years. Although it has not completely stopped, it’s no longer rapidly increasing since 2003. Warming is still going on, the heat has not gone away, all of it is just stored in the cooler ocean.
Global Warming seems to have slowed down according to studies, but it’s actually not. We should not just believe what we want to hear but face the facts. We are still baked in the summer and freezing in the winter. The weather has only gone worse.
mwu29 